Saturday, December 10, 2005

Final Petition Update

The following petition was submitted to University officials and The Marquette Tribune yesterday with 297 signatures:

Freedom of expression and the exchange of ideas are essential in an academic setting and should be encouraged rather than punished. The signers of the petition demand that the student who was suspended for expressing his personal beliefs online in a form of a personal blog be fully reinstated to the University and that all disciplinary actions taken against him be overturned. Specifically, the signers of petition believe that the decision by the Marquette University Faculty/Student Conduct Board should be overturned on the following grounds:

Whereas: The Dental School Faculty/Student Conduct Board denied the student a fair hearing

Whereas: The University grossly infringed on his right to freedom of speech by using statements made to a close group of friends on his personal blog against him

Whereas: The punishment was overly excessive and can be shown to be more than arbitrary and capricious

Whereas: The decision, If upheld, would set a disastrous precedent for student free speech rights and would give the University a seemingly limitless reach into students lives. This petition is officially sponsored and endorsed by: Marquette College Democrats, Marquette College Republicans, 1832, The Warrior Blog, Leaning Blue, Brewtown Politico, GOP3.com, Adam Chernow's Blog, The Office of Homeland Security and Eminent Domain.

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The purpose of this blog is to report issues that involve the campuses of Marquette and Indiana University and to comment on local, state, and national news. While this blog celebrates Andrew Jackson's founding of the Democratic party, 1832 will criticize the Democratic Party and will offer guest blogger invites to Republicans and Independents as warranted to further intellectual development and discourse.